QX3 Digital Image Gallery

AMD 486-DX2

Advanced Micro Devices was founded in 1969 to compete in the integrated circuit device industry. Today, AMD is one of the world's leaders in microprocessor design and manufacture and has captured a large market share of entry-level microprocessors and well as high end devices. The images below reveal increasing magnifications of the surface of an AMD 486-DX2 microprocessor.

AMD 486 DX2 at 60x Magnification

AMD 486 DX2 at 60x Magnification

AMD 486 DX2 at 200x Magnification

The digital images presented above were captured using the oblique illuminator built into the microscope head with the assistance of a Dolan-Jenner Model 180 fiber optics illuminator using a 150 watt projection lamp. The light pipes of the illuminator were placed at approximately a 45-degree angle with respect to the optical axis of the microscope and were positioned to evenly illuminate the specimen. In many cases, colored gels were placed into filter holders and attached to the front of the light pipes to add color to the chip surfaces. A 2-inch square section of black paper was placed over the diffusion filter on the stage of the microscope to avoid any glare from transmitted illumination.